Clinton addresses Legion convention
The daughter of a World Word II Navy veteran took the stage at The American Legion’s 98th national convention in Cincinnati as the first woman elected as a presidential candidate of a major political party. Democratic presidential nominee and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton addressed the crowd of Legionnaires Wednesday on key issues that directly impact the military veteran community.
She opened her speech expressing gratitude for our nation’s heroes. “Thank you to all the Legionnaires here and across America. Thanks for your service in our Armed Forces – you wore the uniform, took an oath, you put your life on the line to protect the greatest country on earth,” she said. “As the daughter of a veteran, and as a proud American, I am grateful to you all. Thank you very much.”
Clinton continued to express appreciation for the Legion as she spoke highly of various Legion programs that had a direct impact on her and her husband’s, former President Bill Clinton, lives. “I want to give a special shout-out to Boys Nation, which meant so much to my husband when he was growing up,” she said. President Clinton is an alumnus of the Boys Nation Class of 1963, where he had the honor of meeting then President John F. Kennedy.
“I also have to mention Girls Nation, too. I want to thank your Auxiliary: The world’s largest women’s patriotic service organization,” she boasted in front of a crowd that erupted into cheers. “I was honored to receive the Auxiliary’s Public Spirit Award in 1997, and I have great admiration for the work that you do.”
Clinton continued her address to the thousands of Legionnaires by touching on issues related to national security, diversity and unification.
“The United States built the international coalition against ISIS. Now we’re working with partners to take back territory and defeat them without getting drawn into a ground war," she said. "We brought the world together to impose sanctions on Iran and secure a deal that put a lid on Iran’s nuclear program without firing a single shot.”
The Democratic candidate detailed how such efforts are impossible without breaking down barriers of hatred and division. “At our best, the United States is a force for freedom, justice and human dignity. We celebrate our diversity as a source of national strength – just look at our Armed Forces, which represent all races, religions, ethnicities and immigrants from other countries…We stand up to regimes that abuse human rights. We stand up for religious and ethnic minorities, for women, for people with disabilities.”
Clinton explained how she has been a leader in efforts to fight terrorism fueled by bigotry when she highlighted the bravery of SEAL Team 6, who defeated then international terrorist Osama Bin Laden during her time as Secretary of State in 2011. “Every second counted. But still, those brave men took the time to move the women and children and bin Laden’s family to safety. That’s what honor looks like. That’s America at our best,” she strongly expressed.
If elected as the next commander-in-chief in November, Clinton promises to continue fighting terrorism by addressing national security concerns on the Web. “I’d make it clear that the United States treats cyberattacks just like any other attack. We’ll be ready with serious political, economic and military responses,” she promised. “We’ll invest in protecting our government networks and national infrastructure. And we’ll lead the world in setting the rules of cyberspace.”
In addition to security needs both abroad and online, the Secretary promised that it would be a priority during her presidential candidacy to “reform and strengthen” the Department of Veterans Affairs and improve mental health support for military veterans and their families.
“We’re going to build a 21st century Department of Veterans Affairs that delivers world-class care. We’re not going to privatize the VA,” she said. “We’re going to ensure access to timely, quality care for all our veterans, improve care for women, who are often underserved, identify and treat all wounds of war, visible and invisible, including Agent Orange and Gulf War Syndrome, and end the epidemic of veteran suicides by expanding access to mental health care and fighting the stigma that isolates so many.”
Clinton’s full candidacy plans for military veterans and national security can be accessed at www.hillaryclinton.com/issues. During her speech, the former senator addressed the criticism she has received for drafting very detailed plans for more than 36 issues. “I have this old fashioned idea that if I am asking for your vote for president that I should tell you what I want to do as your president. So yes, I have laid out a plan and I am going to work my heart out to implement those plans,” she strongly expressed.
Clinton concluded her speech with a story about her father, Navy Chief Petty Officer Hugh Rodham. “This is personal to me. After my dad died, I received letters from men who had served under him. I treasure them to this day,” she said. “My father told me how emotional he got when he accompanied his trainees to the West Coast and saw those young sailors get onboard their ships. He knew some of them wouldn’t survive. But he believed in their cause and he believed in them. And they went to serve and protect our country. They knew their country needed them.”
Clinton shared that she had a similar experience as her father when she embraced and fellowshipped with servicemembers during her political career as a state senator in New York and as Secretary of State. “And I too knew that some of those young men and women wouldn’t be coming home neither. It’s that kind of courage and honor that our men and women in uniform demonstrate every single day,” she expressed in front of an applauding crowd. “I will never forget that, and I would expect The American Legion to be my partner in the White House to make sure I do. You and all our veterans deserve nothing less.”